Jun 27, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; The draft board is seen following the first round of the 2025 NHL Draft at Peacock Theater. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Penguins Destined to Draft Gavin McKenna

Originally posted on Breakaway on SI | By Nick Horwat | Last updated Jul 15, 2025 5:00 PM ET

Heading into the 2025-26 season, the Pittsburgh Penguins look like the only team not actively trying to improve. After three consecutive Stanley Cup Playoff absences, the Penguins continue to regress as a bottom-feeding team in the NHL.

Does one more losing season in Pittsburgh play perfectly into the Penguins plans, though? If the Penguins struggle enough in 2025-26, they will have the best chances of winning the 2026 Draft Lottery, securing the first overall pick at the draft.

The consensus choice for the first overall pick in 2026 is Penn State commit Gavin McKenna, who tore up the WHL during his three seasons with the Medicine Hat Tigers.

The Penguins might just be the team of destiny when it comes to nabbing the first overall pick.

Jason Gregor of Daily Faceoff pointed out that the Penguins drafted franchise savoir Mario Lemieux in 1984 with the first overall selection. 21 years later in 2005, they chose one of the game’s all-time greats in Sidney Crosby with the first overall selection.

Penguins...
1984 Mario Lemieux 1st overall.
21 years later...
2005 Sidney Crosby 1st overall.
21 years later...
2026 Gavin McKenna 1st overall??
Could happen. Penguins look like they will be a lottery team.
— Jason Gregor (@JasonGregor) July 8, 2025

The 2026 NHL Draft will be 21 years after the Penguins chose Crosby, forming a perfect pattern. Could the stars be aligning for the Penguins and McKenna?

The Penguins would still need to win the 2026 Draft Lottery, but president and general manager Kyle Dubas seems to be doing his best to make sure that happens. He’s made a couple of trades that appear to have the future in mind rather than building a team that can be successful this season.

More trade are likely on the horizon as big names like Bryan Rust, Rickard Rakell and Erik Karlsson are all on the trade block and could fetch the Penguins big returns. A team also doesn’t drop three names of that caliber and expect to get better.

Evgeni Malkin won’t return to Pittsburgh following the 2025-26 season, opening up a huge hole in the Penguins lineup. Malkin isn’t the same player he used to be, but he is still a huge name in the organization that will soon be getting a call from the Hall of Fame.

The Penguins appear to have a plan, and McKenna might be the centerpiece. Whether it’s destiny or perfect timing, the Penguins could find themselves landing a third highly anticipated prospect that many believe could be a generational talent.

This article first appeared on Breakaway on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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